Jerry Flint Posthumously Honored as Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

Boston (Dec. 1, 2010)—The Internet Car and Truck of the Year website has announced the winners from the Internet Pros and Average Joes votes for their favorite new cars and trucks. Domestic brands swept all four categories.

The winners, announced from the New England International Auto Show today, are:

Internet Pros:

Car of the Year: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V

Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Average Joes:

Car of the Year: 2011 Ford Mustang GT

Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Internet Pros are comprised of a select team of 15 online writers from some of the leading automotive Internet sites, while the Average Joes consisted of thousands of votes from the motoring public. Complete biographies of the jury members are available at www.internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com.

So while the Internet Pros and Average Joes agree on the Truck of the Year (for the second year in a row) they have slightly differing opinions when it comes to their favorite car. The Pros like their speed in the form of a luxury sports car with the Cadillac CTS-V while the Average Joes voted for classic American muscle with the Ford Mustang GT (with only a 1 percent margin of victory over the Cadillac CTS-V). However, both groups demonstrated their respect for the vastly improved Jeep Grand Cherokee by wide margins.

Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

The Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year award was given to Jerry Flint for his long body of work in automotive journalism, most recently as a columnist for Forbes – both in print and online. It will be presented to his widow, automotive journalist Kate McLeod, at the Dec. 9 International Motor Press Association meeting in New York City.

A prolific award winner, including the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism in 2003, for his Forbes “Backseat Driver column,” Flint was not afraid to point out when the Emperor was wearing no clothing. That insight, and his grasp of the automotive industry, earned accolades that included his naming by Business News Reporter as one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th Century.

The 2010 Automotive Journalist of the Year was John Neff, editor of Autoblog.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year awards were created by Keith Griffin, the Guide to Used Cars for About.com, a writer for TorqueNews.com, and the National Hyundai Examiner for Examiner.com, as well as a print automotive journalist and vice president of the New England Motor Press Association.

For more information on Internet Car and Truck of the Year, email Keith Griffin at keithmgriffin@comcast.net or call (860) 292-0618.

Cadillac CTSv Coupe

Automobile Magazine editors and contributing writers agree with the jury’s picks for Internet Car of the Year finalists. Their list of finalists includes the Ford Fiesta, the Hyundai Sonata and the Cadillac CTS-V coupe. Sadly, I don’t think Automobile is going to select among those three. My guess is it goes with something electric and that would be the Chevy Volt. Oops, make that Chevrolet Volt.

Here’s the official press release:

AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES 2011 “AUTOMOBILE OF THE YEAR” FINALISTS

Winner Announced in Live Facebook Reveal Nov. 16

Ann Arbor, Mich. (November 9, 2010) – AUTOMOBILE Magazine, America’s leading automotive lifestyle publication, announced the finalists for the 2011 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year. Today’s announcement will be followed one week later, on Tuesday, November 16, by a simultaneous live reveal of the winner on both Facebook and the brand’s website. During the live, interactive announcement at 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, for the first time ever, fans will be given the opportunity to chat live with AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s editors regarding their choice of winner and the criteria that led them to the decision.

Contenders for this year’s award represent a diverse mix of what the automotive industry is currently offering consumers. In fact, for the first time in AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s history, electric cars are included in the running, alongside traditional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles.

The finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Audi A8

The redesign of Audi’s range-topping sedan doesn’t take a dramatic leap, but then, it didn’t have to. The A8 was already among the most advanced machines in its rarefied class. The new eight-speed automatic transmission, all-LED headlamps, and unique touch-pad driver interface just put more icing on the cake.

BMW 5-series

BMW’s much-admired mid-size sedan has been treated to a handsome redesign for 2011, but changes run more than skin deep. The new turbocharged six-cylinder and eight-speed automatic, in particular, combine sport-sedan performance with surprising efficiency.

Buick Regal

The Opel-based Regal is the smallest Buick entry in recent years. With a European-tuned chassis and an engine lineup of normally aspirated and turbocharged four-cylinders, it should go a long way toward redefining Buick.

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe/Sport Wagon

Cadillac’s Nürburgring-worthy CTS-V was already available as a sedan, but it makes an all-the-more compelling package in the dramatically styled coupe and wagon. We love the message here: (lots of) power to even more people!

Chevrolet Volt

General Motors’ long-anticipated and much-talked-about moon-shot vehicle is finally here, and it’s on time and very good. The degree to which the Volt’s extended-range electric powertrain portends the future can be debated, but plenty of manufacturers are readying similar systems. GM just happens to be the first.

Ford Fiesta

For years we’ve agitated for Ford to bring its highly regarded European small cars to America, and the Fiesta is the first to finally arrive. The Fiesta’s 40-mpg EPA highway rating may not surprise anyone, but the rich equipment levels almost certainly will.

Hyundai Sonata

Nothing better exemplifies Hyundai’s recent ascension than the new Sonata, which rises to the very top of the brutally competitive mid-size-sedan segment. A recently added turbocharged model is a more efficient but no less satisfying substitute for the traditional V-6 offering.

Jaguar XJ

At long last, the big Jaguar sedan looks as modern outside as it is inside. An advanced, aluminum-intensive construction helps make this big cat as lithe as it is luxurious-and it is very luxurious indeed.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Its huge-volume-selling days may be behind it, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee remains a very important vehicle for Chrysler. This all-new version was developed during a tumultuous time, but you’d never know it from the highly polished result.

Nissan Leaf

Nissan is making a huge bet on electric propulsion with the Leaf, the first-ever mass-market EV in the United States. The EV-only Leaf certainly looks like a new-age machine, inside and out. It also promises to be a major milestone.

“Announcing the 2011 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year on Facebook gives us an opportunity to interact live with our readers about some of our biggest stories of the year,” said Jean Jennings, President and Editor-in-Chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “Having this sort of instant communication with our readers is special. Facebook offers a new level of direct access for our readers and fans to experience content from AUTOMOBILE Magazine not afforded through the website alone.”

Finalists for the 2011 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year are determined by a primary ballot vote of the senior editorial staff and contributing writers of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. In addition to matters like practicality, affordability, packaging, and fuel economy, editors consider what the cars signify for both the manufacturer and the automotive industry when selecting the candidates and, ultimately, the winner of the award.

“The AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year is a car that is groundbreaking and establishes new standards in design, performance, engineering, and/or technology. The Automobile of the Year is an enthusiast’s car,” said Joe DeMatio, Deputy Editor of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “Essentially, we are looking for a car with a story.”

The winner of the 2011 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year will be announced on Facebook November 16, 2010, at 12:00 PM Eastern, along with the Design, Man, and Technology of the Year. The editorial staff of the magazine will be available to chat about the winners with Facebook users from the brand’s fan page, live from its headquarters in Michigan.

The AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year celebrates its 22nd year with the 2011 awards. Winners have varied in price point over the years to include everything from their least expensive winner, the 1994 Dodge/Plymouth Neon selling at the time for $9500 to the most expensive winner the 2008 Audi R8 priced at $110,000.

The Chevy Camaro has won the Hot Car Award from SEMA

How smart are Internet Car of the Year consumers? Way back at the end of 2009, they selected the Chevy Camaro as the Consumer Internet Car of the Year. Well, the folks at SEMA just got around to seconding that opinion almost a year later with their designation of the Chevrolet Camaro with the Hottest Car Award.

However, SEMA voters may be ahead of the curve when it comes to the Ford F-Series. The Super Duty is a finalist in the consumer voting, but the F-Series has been picked as the hottest truck in the inaugural awards. The Jeep Wranger was the hottest 4×4 SUV.

Here’s the SEMA press release:

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2010) – The inaugural SEMA Award was presented to the Chevrolet Camaro for the Hottest Car, the Ford F-Series for the Hottest Truck and the Jeep Wrangler for the Hottest 4×4-SUV, during the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

New car and truck buyers have a choice. The ability to accessorize a vehicle impacts the decision as to which vehicle to purchase. The SEMA Award identifies the most accessory-friendly new models.

Show organizers relied on the trend-setting influence of exhibitors to determine the winners.

“A booth space is a ballot, and the models these exhibitors have selected represent their vote,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO.

The 2010 SEMA Show features more than 1,900 exhibiting companies. With more exhibitors showcasing their new products and styling trends on the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford F-Series and Jeep Wrangler, the SEMA Award winners are vehicles that consumers can confidently turn to for unlimited possibilities in personalization.

SEMA Show exhibitors manufacture thousands of products that improve performance, safety and convenience, as well as those that enhance appearance and comfort. While products are available for every make and model vehicle, exhibitors are investing more into the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford F-Series, and Jeep Wrangler than any other vehicle. Consumers, therefore, can expect to find more options for accessorizing these vehicles.

To learn more about the SEMA Award winners and the products that are available for them, visit www.sema.org/semaaward.

Kia Sportage

A compact-sized crossover, the Sportage is a continuation of the like-named outgoing model, but gosh, what a difference a day makes. Gone is the “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” styling that plagued, er, characterized the earlier model. Originally introduced at the 2010 New York Auto Show, our example of the Kia Sportage EX AWD is the high-zoot model, the top of the heap.

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2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

The 2011 F-Series initially came with a hefty 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine. This engine remains for the mid-year upgrade. However, a few tweaks have streamlined performance to maximize torque and reduce fuel consumption. Add it all up, and the new diesel Ford F-Series specifications come in at a best-in-class 800 lb-ft. of torque and 400 horsepower. Ford is also quick to point out that the upgrades help the Super Duty edge out the towing and payload capacities of the current segment leader – the Chevrolet Silverado 3500.

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2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Some might call the exterior design of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee evolutionary but unless you look at its seven-slot grille head on it just doesn’t look like a Jeep from any angle. That’s a good thing.

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Ford Fiesta

“The Fiesta is powered by a 120 horsepower 1.6 liter engine that’s enthusiastic, if a bit noisy. It’s available with a 5-speed stick [and a] 6-speed automatic — a special type of gearbox called a twin-clutch. Twin-clutch automatics are used in sports cars like the Nissan GT-R, VW GTI, and Porsche 911 because they provide excellent power delivery and near-instant shifts. But they also provide outstanding fuel economy, which is why Ford chose a twin-clutch for the Fiesta. EPA estimates for the automatic Fiesta are 30 MPG city/40 MPG highway.”

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